Protect You, My Love
by kryptoniteuzumaki
Summary: Orihime forced another smile at them and turned and began to walk in the direction of her apartment.  'I am far to weak for someone as strong as Kurosaki-kun.  I can see why he would love someone like Kuchiki-san, she's brave  read to learn more
1. Experimentation

_'I could never compete with Kuchiki-san_' Orihime thought as she took a look at the small shinigami that was her friend.

_'Please don't let me have a break down here' _Orihime thought as she held back the tears.

She blinked her tears back as she watched Ichigo push Rukia back and forth in a swing.

"Hey, Inoue, are you alright?" The dark haired shinigami asked.

"I'm fine, Kuchiki-san!" Orihime blurted out while waving her hands back and forth.

"Okay, just making sure." Rukia stated.

"I think I am going to head home." Orihime said forcing a smile.

"Okay, I will see you at school Monday." Rukia said with a smile.

"Alright bye Kuchiki-san and bye Kurosaki-kun." Orihime said as she reached and grabbed her bag off of the ground.

"Bye, Inoue." Ichigo said.

Orihime forced another smile at them and turned and began to walk in the direction of her apartment. _'I am far to weak for someone as strong as Kurosaki-kun. I can see why he would love someone like Kuchiki-san, she's brave and strong willed and-and everything that I am not. Why am I so useless? Why can't I protect Kurosaki-kun the way that Kuchiki-san does?'_

Orihime was so lost in her own thoughts that she hadn't even realized that she had already made it home and was now standing in front of her apartment door. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths before unlocking and entering her apartment. As soon as she walked in she let her school bag fall from her hand and slowly walked to her bedroom.

"I just want to sleep." Orihime said as she walked to her night stand and took some sleeping medication. She pulled her clothes off and took the pills in her hand and walked into her kitchen and filled up a glass of water. She took the pills and returned to bed and that's when the tears came. She let out a sigh and shed one last tear as sleep overcame her.

Morning came fast, but for some odd reason her surroundings were different, they consisted of white wallsand furniture. The only thing that she recognized was the orange blanket that was wrapped around her naked body.

"Welcome back Miss Inoue. I am a clone of Syazel. Lord Aizen has been been defeated, so that means that Hueco Mundo is now under the control of the remaining espadas."

Orihime's eyes grew wide with fear. "What do you want with me now?" She questioned.

"We just want to run some simple tests on you, that's all." The Syazel clone stated.

"Please don't." Orihime said as her eyes began to tear up at the aweful memories that were flooding back to her all at once.

"Goodnight Miss Inoue." After having said that the Syazel clone pressed a button that filled the room with anesthetic.

"No-plea-" Her head fell down onto the table that she had been placed on.

The testing went on as she slept.

Monday came around fast and the small shinigami was shocked that she had not seen her friend all weekend and now she wasn't even at school.

"Hey, Ichigo."

"What, Rukia, can't you see that I am trying to do my homework from Friday?"

"Forget your homework, I think something might have happened to Inoue." Rukia whispered to Ichigo.

"I'm sure she's fine, she seemed a little sick Friday." Ichigo said as he worked the problem from the book.

"Ugh, fine, but you know that this is not like her. I guess we can go and check on her after school." The small shinigami said.

"Yeah and then you will see that she is perfectly fine." Ichigo said sounding rather annoyed seeing as though he could not remember how to work the problem.

"The day sure did go by fast." Rukia said as she followed Ichigo in the direction of Orihime's apartment.

"Yeah, I guess." Ichigo said as he continued to walk.

"I hope you're right, that she just has a cold or something." Rukia said as she climbed the stairs to Orihime's apartment.

"She's fine." Ichigo said as he stood infront of Orihime's door and began to knock.

No one came.

Ichigo raised an eyebrow "Maybe she's asleep." he said as he took a look at Rukia.

"Rukia what are you doing?" Ichigo asked as he saw that Rukia was trying to open Orihime's window.

With a sigh Ichigo took out a mod soul and placed it in his mouth.

"Everything the hard way." Ichigo said as he walked through the wall.

"Smartass." Rukia said as she waited for Ichigo to return.

Moments passed by and Ichigo returned "She's not here!"

"I knew it, I knew something was wrong!" Rukia exclaimed.

"Let's go ask around and see if anyone has seen her."

"Yeah maybe she went to the soul society to train." Rukia said trying not to panic.

_**'Ichigo, I promise that I will get stronger, I will protect you the same way that you have protected me all of this time.'**_

'Tap'

Orihime clenched her fist.

'Tap'

_'Someone's walking'_

'Tap'

She clenched her eyes.

'Tap'

Orihime's eyes shot open. Her vision was blurry, all she could see were the lights above her.

_'Why am I moving?'_ She questioned.

_'Someone's carrying me. Is it Ichigo? It feels like him._ She thought as she tried to raise her hand, but it refused to move.

"..." _Ichigo?_ She tried to ask, buther lips wouldn't move.

She blinked several times and tried to focus on the person who was carrying her.

_'There's something blue, but what is it?' _She questioned.

"Don't strain yourself." A manly voice said.

'Ichi-?" She tried to ask, but she could not complete the name of the man that she loved.

"No." The voice stated.

_'Then who?'_ She wondered.

She tried to focus more, but the image was just not becoming any clearer.

Her eyes grew wide _'I remember now. I must still be Hueco Mundo. If blue hair and a manly voice... that means th-that the person who is carrying me is-is-is_

"...A Blueberry." Orihime said before she passed out once again.

"The fuck it a blueberry?" Grimmjow questioned.

"Urahara, have you seen Orihime?" Rukia asked.

"No. Why is something wrong?" The hat wearing shinigami said.

"She's missing." Ichigo said.

"Have you checked her apartment?"

"We have checked everywhere!" Rukia exclaimed.

Urahara let out a sigh and said "Maybe she'll show up here soon."

"We can only hope." Rukia said as she walked outside and stared up at the moon and began wonder if her best friend was staring back somehow, somwhere.

_Orihime missing? That's strange, she never goes anywhere without telling someone especially Ichigo. _Urahara thought as he casted a glance at Ichigo who seemed to be pondering the same thing.


	2. Reverberation

"When is she going to wake up?" Grimmjow questioned as he watched Syazel check Orihime's vitals.

"I'm not sure, but i can tell you that my experiment was a success."

"What exactly did you do to her, her riatsu is growing exponentialy." Grimmjow said as he watched her take a deep breath.

"I combined hollow D.N.A. with her human D.N.A. and thus created a genetically engineered hybrid being." Syazel said.

"Ah, I see." Grimmjow said as he began to pick Orihime up off of the table.

"Are you done with her?" Grimmjow asked as he held her in his arms bridal style.

"Yeah, you can ahead and take her back to her room." Syazel said as he looked over some paper work.

Without another word Grimmjow walked out of the room and began to walk down the long white hall way.

'tap'

_'What's that noise?' _Orihime questioned as she stirred.

'tap'

Orihime slowly opened her eyes.

'tap'

_'It's the blueberry again.'_

'tap'

"Bluebe-be-berry?" Orihime questioned as she stared up at him.

Grimmjow looked down at her and then back up as he opened a door and entered a room. He made his way over her bed and laid her down on it.

"Try to sleep." Grimmjow said as he adjusted her head on the pillow.

_'What's going on?' _Orihime thought to herself as she tried to focus on the person who was moving her head.

"Stop straining yourself." She heard the manly voice say.

She turned her head to watch him leave, but something changed right when the door closed. Her vision came back, it was clear, clearer than it had ever been before.

_'I have to get up.'_ She thought as she struggled to push herself in a sitting up position.

Her eyes shifted up as she took in all of her surroundings for the first time. She spotted a walk in shower on the other side of the room.

_'I wonder if a shower would make me feel better.'_ Orihime thought as she pushed herself up onto her feet. She could feel her knees shaking rapidly as she forced her body to move in the direction of the shower.

As soon as she made it to her destination her legs gave and her knees hit the cold tile of the shower.

She cringed from the pain as she reached a shakey hand up and twisted the knob.

Hot water rained down upon her head. Feeling the water rain down on her was like breathing oxygen for the first time. She let out a sigh of relief as she felt her strength begin to return.

"What're we going to do?" Rukia asked as she looked up at Ichigo.

They had both been searching for six days now and they still had no lead as to where their friend might have went.

Ichigo looked down upon his small friend with a sad expression.

"I guess that all we can do now is hope for her safe return." Rukia said sadly.

"I'm not giving up on finding her!" Ichigo shouted.

"I'm not either, Ichigo, but we have nothing to go off of. We have not even a single clue as to where she could have went!" Rukia exclaimed as she tried to hold back the tears.

"Then I will keep searching until I find one!" Ichigo shouted back.

"I'm going to call Rangiku and the others and ask them if they might have any clue as to where she might have went." Rukia stated as she opened her cell phone.

"This isn't like Inoue." Ichigo said in a low sad tone.

"I know it's not." Rukia breathed out. "I'm really worried."

"Me too." Ichigo said with a sigh. "I'm going to look some more."

Several hours had passed by as she sat there under the warm life that was still continuing to rain down upon her.

She reached her hand up and turned the water off. Feeling brand new, she stood and walked in front of a fogged up body mirror and began to wipe it off. Her eyes grew wide at what she saw, the person staring back at her looked completely different from the one that she was used to. This person had long, flowing sunset colored hair the ended at her calves, her gray eyes now had white streaks all throughout them, and last of all there was a white halo that wrapped around the crown of her head.


	3. Explanation

She stared at ther reflection in disbelief '_What's wrong with me?'_ Orihime questioned as she looked at her hands. Her eyes grew wide as she looked upon the markings that where placed on each of her wrists. The markings resembled that of her beloved flower shaped hair pins.

Not believing what she saw she quickly walked to the near by sink and slashed cold water onto her face.

_'Nothing's changed, which mean-which means... this is what I look like now. Oh now what am I going to do?'_ Orihime thought as her heart began to sink.

"Someone's coming." Orihime said as she grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around herself and turned to face the door and watched as it opened.

"Well now, it seems that you are awake, finally." Grimmjow said as he stood in the door way.

"You should try to calm down, you've been flaring your riatsu for the past thirty minutes. It woke me up." Grimmjow said as he stared at her.

_'He felt it and it woke him up? Is it that imense now?'_

"Grimmjow-sama, what's wrong with me?" Orihime questioned.

"Syazel's clone infused your D.N.A. with that of a hollows, you're now one of us." Grimmjow stated as he walked in and shut the door behind himself.

Orihime's eyes grew wide.

"Why me?" Orihime exclaimed.

"Calm down, princess, you're making cracks in the walls from your imense spritual pressure." Grimmjow said as he placed himself on her bed.

"When can I go home?" Orihime said as tears welled up in her eyes.

"You really want to go home like this? They would find you in a heartbeat and probably use you for experimental testing." Grimmjow said as he closed his eyes and laid down on her bed.

"One way or another I want to go home!" Orihime exclaimed.

"Calm down, maybe if you do me a favor I will teach you how to control your riatsu." Grimmjow said.

Orihime raised an eyebrow "What kind of favor?"

Grimmjow didn't even reply he simply got up and walked towards her.

"Well, what is it?" Orihime asked as she backed up to the wall.

He placed a hand beside her head on the wall and leaned in and kissed her.

Orihime's eyes grew wide and she blushed deep red.

Grimmjow pulled away and walked towards the door and stopped "Oh, and another thing try to sleep, i'll be back in the morning." He said as he cast her one last look before he walked out the door.

_'No, my first kiss was supposed to be with Ichigo not Grimmjow_' Orihime thought as she slid down the wall onto her butt.

Morning came, but you would have never known it. Though it was morning the moon still lingered in the sky like it always did.

Grimmjow awoke with a stir _'I can't feel her riatsu'_

He quickly got dressed and ran out of his room down the hall to her's. He opened the door and quickly looked around the room _'I knew it she's gone_' He thought to himself as he left the room and began to make his way to Syazel's lab.

"She's gone." Grimmjow said.

"I know, but she'll be back. She'll eventually want to know how to control those new powers of hers." Syazel's clone said as he continued to look over some paper work.

"Ichigo do you feel that!" Rukia yelled as she slammed the closet door open.

"Yeah, I feel it." He said as he grabbed the stuffed bear and ripped the mod soul from it and placed it in his mouth.

Now in his shinigami form he and Rukia took off to seek out the imense power source.

"Ichigo, it feels like a hollow, but somehow pure in a way."

"I guess we will see when we get there." Ichigo said as he and Rukia continued to approach the power source.

_'I can sense Ichigo and Rukia coming this way'_ Orihime thought to herself as she pulled the blanket tighter around her body. She began to run feeling them closing in around her.

_'Oh no what am I going to do?'_ Orihime thought as she saw a shinigami descend from the skay and land before her.

Rukia drew her zanpakuto and pointed it at Orihime.

Orihime began to look for an escape route.

"Looking for a way to escape?" Rukia said as she lunged at Orihime in an attempt to stab her with her zanpakuto.

Orihime simply grabbed the sword that was Rukia's and pulled her small shinigami friend in for a tight embrace.

Rukia struggled to escape until she heard a familier voice say "It's me, Kuchiki-san."

After hearing those words from that voice Rukia stopped her struggle immediatly.

"Inoue?" Rukia asked as she pulled the blanket back off of Orihime's head.

Rukia's eyes grew wide "What happened to you!" She asked as she looked from her friend's eyes up to the hollow halo that was wrapped around the crown of her head.

"I don't really know." Orihime said sadly. "I woke up like this."

"Woke up like this!" The small shinigami exclaimed. "We have to get you Urahara-san!"

Rukia grabbed her friend's hand rather roughly and began to pull her in the direction of the hat wearing shinigami's shop.

"I can't Kuchiki-san." Orihime said as she stared down at her small friend.

"We have to!" Rukia yelled. "There's still a chance that we can save you, Inoue!"

"No... Kuchiki-san, there's not." Orihime said as gripped her friend's hand tighter.

"Yes there is, Inoue, have faith in me!"

"I do have faith in you, Kuchiki-san." Orihime said firmly as she pulled her small, dark haired friend in for a tight embrace.

"Inoue..." Rukia said as her eyes began to tear up. "I can save you, I know that I can. I'M NOT GOING TO LOOSE ANOTHER ONE OF MY FRIENDS!" Rukia said as her tears erupted.

"You haven't lost me, Kuchiki-san." Orihime said as she wiped away Rukia's tears.

More tears streamed down Rukia's face as she said "Who would do something like this?"

Orihime's eyes grew wide as she sensed a familier spiritual pressure approaching her and her small friend.

"Kuchiki-san, I have to go, okay?"

"Why, Inoue? It's Ichigo, maybe he can help you." Rukia said as she used her sleeve to wipe away the remaining tears that lingered on her face.

Orihime turned her back to the small shinigami that was her friend and said "I don't want him to see me like this. Please don't tell him... for my sake, Kuchiki-san."

Rukia's eyebrows furrowed at her friend request and she replied with a promise that was put simply as an "Okay, Inoue, if that is what you want."

"Thanks, Kuchiki-san." Orihime said as she cast her small friend a smile.

"You will come back, right, Inoue?" Rukia asked as she grabbed onto her friends arm.

"Yes, yes I will, as soon as I learn to conceal my riatsu."

"Promise?" Rukia asked as she loosened her grip on Orihime's arm.

"Yes, Kuchiki-san."

"Okay... bye... Inoue." Rukia said as she released Orihime and watched as she disappeared into the night.


	4. Adaptation

"Rukia?" Ichigo asked, worry obvious in his voice.

His voice was like cold water being slashed onto her face, it woke her up from the trance that she seemed to be inticed in.

"Yes?"

"What's the matter? Your riatsu... It seemed a little... off." Ichigo said as he took a look around. "I thought I sensed another riatsu here with you... but I guess that I was wrong."

"You must have been, because I have been here alone all of this time." Rukia said. _'Only for you, my friend, I will let these lies fall from my lips... only for you... Inoue.'_

"Ah, there she is." Grimmjow said as he found Orihime's riatsu. _'Little snake, giving me all of these problems, running off like that, she's got a lot of nerve.' _ Grimmjow thought to himself as he landed on the ground in front of her.

"Omfh." Fell from Orihime's lips as she ran into something hard and began to fall backwards until strong arms caught her.

"Grimmjow-sama?"

"You're going back, whether you want to or not."

"No." Orihime said as she began to try to free herself from the former espadas grip.

"Where do you intend to go? No one will be able to take you in, let alone teach you how to control you riatsu." Grimmjow stated as he grabbed her other wrist and pulled her closer to himself.

Orihime's eyes grew wide "...You're right, Grimmjow-sama."

"Damn straight I'm right." Grimmjow said as he looked down at her gray eyes.

"What do you and Syazel intend to do with me?"

"I have no idea what that pink haired freak has in mind, but I know this-" Grimmjow said as he moved his head close to her ear "-there's no going back for you, you are one of us now and no one can change that."

Orihime stopped her struggle after hearing his words. Feeling tears begin to well up in her eyes, she shook her head in denial.

"Th-that's not true!" Orihime yelled. Buildings all around her began to crack. "There has to be something that someone can do!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Grimmjow said as he moved and covered her mouth with his own.

Orihime's eyes grew wide and she stopped her struggle.

He pulled away and said "Calm down you're wrecking up the place."

Orihime simply looked up into his wild eyes and asked "None of my friends can teach me how to control my powers?"

Grimmjow rubbed the side of his neck and closed his eyes and said "All of yer' friends are damn shinigamis."

"Not chad and Ur-" Orihime was cut off by Grimmjow placing his hands on her hips and hoisting her over his shoulder.

"My point is that no one can teach you how to control your _arrancar_ powers." Grimmjow said as he leaped into the air.

_"Kurosaki-kun." I watched the way that her lips moved as she said my name.._

_I couldn't help but to smile at the way that she said my name._

_"Inoue." I said back to her as I pulled her in for a tight embrace. _

_"Kurosaki-kun?"_

_I looked at her at the sound of my name in that questioning manner. "Yes, Inoue?"_

_"You won't have to protect me anymore." She said with a smile._

_"What do you mean Inoue? I like protecting you, you're my friend... you ...you-you've always been there...for...me?" My eyes grew wide. 'how could I have been so blind? Inoue has always been there for me through thick and thin and and and I know that if I asked her to she would be there for me forever, so so why didn't I-how could-I thought-_

_"Kurosaki-kun..." 'What? Her mouth it's moving, b-but i can't hear her words'_

_"I'm sorry, what?" I said eager to hear her repeat whatever she had just said._

_She started to say something, but she simply stopped and smiled._

_"Inoue, what do you mean by that, when you said that I don't have to protect me anymore?"_

_"The answer is simple, Kurosaki-kun." She said as she placed a kiss on my neck and moved her mouth close to my ear._

_"What is that, Inoue?" I asked as I moved my hand up and caressed her cheek with the back of my hand._

_She gripped my shoulders and dug her nails into my skin drawing blood. I let out a soft moan and said "Inoue?"_

_I felt her smile against my neck when she said "The answer is simple, Kurosaki-kun."_

_"Tell me, Inoue." I said as I stroked her hair._

_"I'm already dead to you..." _

Ichigo shot up from his bed, causing Kon to fly across the room and smack against the wall.

Breathing heavily Ichigo placed his hands on his face "It was just a dream?"

"What was just a dream?" The stuffed animal asked.

"None of your damn business." Ichigo said as he laid back down and stared at his ceiling.

"Calm down, Ichigo, I was just trying to help." Kon said.

"Why would she say something like that?" Ichigo asked himself.

"Why would who say what?" Kon asked growing conserned.

"No one, Kon." Ichigo said as he rolled over and faced away from the stuffed animal. "Good night." Ichigo said firmly as he closed his eyes.

_'That's right, I am no one to you.'_

"Grimmjow-sama, put me down!" Orihime yelled.

Grimmjow let out a sigh and placed his hand firmly on her butt, rewarding a loud "Eep." from Orihime.

"You keeping yelling and I will be forced to make you be quiet." Grimmjow said as he continued to walk through the white halls of Hueco Mundo.

"Please, Grimmjow!" Orihime shouted.

"Please what, princess?" Grimmjow asked as he cast her one of his trade mark smirks.

"Please let me go."

"Let you go where?"

"Back home."

"This is your home now, or at least until you learn how to control your powers."

Orihime let out an irritated sigh and stopped her struggle.

"Good girl." Grimmjow said as he carried her even further into the white abyss.

Spring break came and went in the blink of an eye, but still there was no sign of Orihime Inoue, at least not until the first day back from break.

"One semester left." Ichigo said quietly to himself as he looked down and took a glance at his text book.

"Orihime..." Ichigo said as he let out a soft sigh.

"Um... yes, Kurosaki-kun?" Orihime asked.

Ichigo's head shot around faster than the speed of light.

"Inoue!" Ichigo yelled as he reached up and stroked his throbbing neck '_Must have moved it too fast_'

"Yes, Kurosaki-kun?" Orihime asked as she stared into his brown eyes.

He looked her over making sure that there was no sign of change or injury, but no everything looked the _**same**_.

_'Good it looks like he can't see past the illusion, good thing Syazel made me this form altering necklace.'_

Ichigo shot up out of his seat and grabbed her shoulders and said "Inoue, where the hell have you been it's been one whole month since anyone has seen you!"

"I'm sorry, Kurosaki-kun, I should have told someone that I was going out of town for a while." Orihime said as she looked up into his amber eyes.

Ichigo let out a sigh and released her shoulders "Inoue, why didn't you tell me?"

Orihime looked down and forced a smile "I'm sorry, Kurosaki-kun, it's just that I left on such short notice that I really didn't have the time to tell anyone that I was leaving."

"Inoue, where did you go?" Ichigo questioned.

"To the beach." Orihime stated simply.

"The beach?"

"Yes, I had a lot of fun playing in the sand." Orihime stated as she reached up and rubbed that back of her head.

"What else did you do? Did they not have any phones?"

"I played in the water and no they didn't have any phones unfortunatly...I wanted to call you, Kurosaki-kun, so that I could tell you not to worry."

"Wh-" Ichigo's interigation of Orihime was interupted by Rukia running into the class room.

"Ichi-" Rukia's eyes locked onto Orihime.

"Inoue?"

"Oh, hello, Kuchiki-san." Orihime said with a smile.


	5. Expectation

_'She looks normal now.'_ Rukia thought as she looked over her close friend.

"Is it a hollow?" Ichigo asked as he looked down at Rukia.

"Wh-Yes, yes it is."

"Alright then let's go." Ichigo said as took one last glance at Orihime.

"Alright then, goodbye, Inoue. We'll be back shortly." The small shinigami said as she took Ichigo's hand and began to walk towards the door.

"Goodbye, Inoue." Ichigo mumbled under his breath.

"Goodbye Kurosaki-kun. You and Kuchiki-san be safe." Orihime said as she watched the two exit the classroom _**together**_.

_'Always together, the two of you. It. Makes. Me. Feel. Sick.'_ Orihime thought to herself as she took her seat. _'You with her...and not me. Rukia may love you, but she can't have you, Kurosaki-kun. You should be mine. Mine and mine alone. Why can't you see that she could never love you the way that __**I love you.'**_

The day came and went by, but neither Ichigo nor Rukia returned for class.

_'I wonder where they are. They must be having some problems with the hollow.'_ Orihime thought to herself as she walked towards her appartment.

"Welcome home, princess." Grimmjow stated smoothly as he opened her apartment door to let her in.

Orihime walked in and dropped her bag onto the floor and walked towards her room.

"Bad day? Not that I would care what kind of day you had." Grimmjow said.

"Grimmjow stop rambling on, I wouldn't care if you cared." Orihime stated coldly as she took the form altering necklace off and placed it on her nightstand.

"Ouch, Hime." Grimmjow said as he watched her revert to her true form.

"Grimmjow, go watch the magic box or pop some pop corn."

"I don't want to watch those things pop, it's kind of creepy."

"You're kind of creepy."

"Good maybe it will keep others away."

"That wasn't a compliment."

"Well I took it that way."

"Well don't take it that way."

"I'll take it how I like it."

"Yeah in the but." Orihime mumbled as she layed down and pulled the covers over herself.

"What?" Grimmjow asked as he placed himself at the foot of her bed.

"Go fight with Kurosaki-kun."

"Really?" Grimmjow asked excitement apparant on his face.

"Yes, just don't kill or badly injure him."

"What're you up to, you never let me go out by myself?" Grimmjow asked.

Orihime didn't respond she just simply got up and walked into the kitchen.

"Tell me." Grimmjow said as he followed Orihime into the kitchen.

"Grimmjow, come here."

Grimmjow stared for a moment and then approached her slowly.

Orihime smiled as she watched him approach with caution.

"Yes?" He asked as he stopped a foot away from her.

"Come closer." She said as she leaned back against the counter in front of the microwave.

Grimmjow raised an eyebrow and began to step towards her and stopped when they were only an inch apart.

Orihime smiled and placed a hand on Grimmjow's left cheek. Electric blue eyes widened at her actions.

"What're you doing?" Grimmjow asked.

Orihime didn't reply, she simply began to move her head towards his.

_'Is-is she going to kiss m-'_ Grimmjow's thought was cut off by Orihime's lips against his.

'POP-POP-POP-POP-POP-POP-POP-POP-POP-POP-POP-POP'

Grimmjow jerked away fast and took shelter behind the couch.

Orihime opened the microwave to stop the popping "I told you to go fight with Kurosaki-kun, now go."

"Bu-" Grimmjow started.

Orihime closed the microwave door and put her finger in front of the start button threateningly.

"Okay, okay i'm gone, but i'll be back soon."

"Alright."

"No killing?"

"No killing."

"Ugh. Fine." Grimmjow said as he walked to the door. He let out one last angry sigh before he closed the door behind himself.

"Thank god." Orihime said under her breath as she returned to her room.

_'Inoue, there's something off about you, but I don't quite know what it is.'_ Ichigo thought to himself.

"Hey, Rukia?"

"What is it, Ichigo?" Rukia asked as she jumped onto another building.

"I don't know...does something seem...a little off about Inoue?"

Remembering her promise to Orihime, Rukia simply gave him a small smile and said "It's Inoue, Ichigo, you know that if there was something wrong she would tell us about it."

"She didn't tell us about Hueco Mundo."

"Ichigo, i'm sure she is fi-."

Rukia was cut off by a large riatsu approaching them.

"Long time, no see. Eh? Kurosaki."

Hearing that voice Ichigo's eyes grew to enormous size.

"Grimmjow..." Ichigo breathed.

"Oh? You haven't forgotten?"

"How could I forget you?"

"Cause it's been a while and you're kinda stupid."

With that insult Ichigo grabbed his sword and launched himself into the air at Grimmjow.

"Tch. Slow as ever I see." Grimmjow said as he stopped Ichigo's sword with ease.

"Ichigo!" Rukia yelled as she watched Ichigo fall back down to earth, destroying a street light in the process.

"Leave now, Rukia." Ichigo said as he stumbled to his feet and prepared for Grimmjow's next attack.

"Bu-"

"Now!" Ichigo yelled.

She looked down and then back up at Ichigo and with that she turned her back and left.

"Kurosaki!" Grimmjow yelled as he launched himself down at Ichigo.

"Bankai." Ichigo breathed.

Grimmjow watched as the substitute soul reaper's sword became much smaller in size.

_'Pathetic, Kurosaki, you haven't gotten that much stronger.'_ Grimmjow dodged Ichigo's sword with ease and fist met face, head met ground, blue eyes met brown.

_'I can't win, he's gotten a lot stronger.'_ Ichigo thought as he struggled to his feet.

"Now to finish you, Kurosaki." Grimmjow said as he drew his sword.

"Now, Grind Pant-." Grimmjow was interupted by the sound of harp. Electric blue eyes widened as he turned his head towards the direction of which the beautiful music was coming from.

_'Looks like she's calling me.'_ Grimmjow thought as he sheathed his sword.

"Wait, Grimmjow!" Ichigo called out.

"What do you want?" Grimmjow asked as he turned his back and began to walk away.

"Where are you going? What is your plan? Why are you here?"

Grimmjow didn't reply, he only continued to walk.

"Grimmjow tell me." Ichigo said as he began to follow Grimmjow.

"I'm not telling you shit." Grimmjow said as he lept into the air.

_'Damnit I am too week...to follow hi-him.'_ Ichigo thought as his vision was momentarily blurred. _'I-I have to stop him and...'_

_'Damn shinigami done went and fainted.' _Grimmjow thought as he watched Ichigo fall to the ground. _'It's the least I can do.' _With that he dove after Ichigo and caught him before he hit the ground.

"Welcome back, Grimmjow." Orihime said as she continued to play the harp. Her head was leaned against the instruments wooden side and her hair was draped all over the floor around her.

"Thanks, but we have a little problem."

"And that is?"

She heard a thud and opened her eyes to see what had just fallen upon her floor.

"Kurosaki-kun..." Orihime breathed as she got up from the floor and walked over to the fallen shinigami.

"I thought I told you not to hurt him too bad."

"I didn't I just wasn't expecting him to be so weak."

Orihime didn't respond, she lifted the sleeping shinigami's upper half and cradled him in her arms.

Grimmjow stared, jealousy growing. He turned his back and walked out of the room.

The markings on Orihime's wrists began to glow and Ichigo's body began to heal.

_'You're so beautiful, my love'_ Orihime thought as she stroked Ichigo's cheek and brushed a peice of his orange locks out of his face.

"Kurosaki-kun...why don't you love me?" Orihime whispered as she stroked his hair.

_'I should take him home.'_ Orihime thought to herself and then proceeded to pick Ichigo up.

"Welcome home, Kurosaki-kun." Orihime smiled, she entered Ichigo's room and placed him in his bed.

"Oh, Ichigo..." Orihime trailed off as she leaned over him and placed her lips on his.

"Help me if you can..." Orihime said as she took one last look at the shinigami's sleeping form and then, in the blink of an eye she was gone.

_'Help me if you can...' I heard her say those words, but why, why would she say something like that? She knows that I would help her no matter what, so why, why, Inoue? Why would you say something like that to me?_

"Ichigo get your ass up." Rukia said as she shook him violently.

"Stop, stop i'm up. What's the problem?" Ichigo asked as he sat up rubbing his hair.

"Nothing I just want you to take me shopping."

_'How did I get home last night?'_

"Alright, Rukia." Ichigo said with a sigh.

"Oh and I told Kisuke and the others about Grimmjow showing up, the Soul Society should be sending in some more reinforcements."

"Oh, okay."

"You're really something else, you know that?" Grimmjow stated coldly as he walked into her room.

"What do you mean by that?" Orihime asked as she brushed her long, sunset colored locks.

"I mean last night."

"What about last night?" Orihime asked turning her full attention towards Grimmjow.

"Forget it." He spat as he walked out.

_'How did my wounds get healed?'_ Ichigo pondered as he followed the smaller shinigami around the mall. _'The only way that they could've healed that fast is if Inoue healed them. Inoue... maybe I should stop by her place, just to clear my suspicions.'_

"Hey, Rukia, i'm going to go and check out some of the guy stores, alright?"

"Alright, Ichigo. Don't get mollested."

"What kind of comment is that?"

"Oh, yeah you're right. Who would want to mollest you?" The small shinigami said with a gleam in her eyes.

Ichigo, completely ignoring this, walked away.

_'Feels like Grimmjow left, but why?'_ Orihime wondered as she got dressed.

'Knock-knock'

Orihime grabbed the necklace off of the nightstand and placed it around her neck.

_'Why is Ichigo here?'_ Orihime wondered as she walked and opened the door.

"Hello, Kurosaki-kun." Orihime said with a smile.

"Hey, Inoue." Ichigo said as he looked down at her bright cheerful face.

"Would you like to come in?"

"Sure, thanks, Inoue." Ichigo said as he walked in. He looked around, a lot had changed since the last time that he had been there, and so had the woman who lived there.

"Just have a seat anywhere." Orihime said and walked and placed herself on the couch.

"Alright." Ichigo said as he took a seat beside Orihime.

"Can I get you anything?"

"No, i'm fine."

"Alright then, is there something that you wanted to talk to me about, Kurosaki-kun?"

"No, is there something that you want to talk about?"

"Kurosaki-kun, will you do something for me?"

"Yeah, sure, Inoue. What is it?"

"Can you close your eyes?" Orihime questioned as she looked up into his amber eyes.

"Ummm, yeah sure." With that said Ichigo closed his eyes.

_'I can do this.'_ Orihime thought as she placed a hand on Ichigo's left cheek.

_'What's she doing?' _Ichigo wondered, but his question was soon answered when he felt her lips on his. His eyes shot open in shock at what Orihime had just done.

Orihime pulled away slowly, but his hand on her right cheek stopped her in place. All of a sudden she felt his lips against hers.

_'Kurosaki-kun...'_ Orihime thought as she returned his kiss. The kiss lasted for what seemed like eternity, but at the same time not long enough.

"Ichi-" Orihime was cut off by Ichigo's cell phone going off out of no where.

"Hold on, Ori-Inoue." Ichigo pulled out his cell phone it was Rukia, and the soul society needed him.

"I'm sorry, Inoue. The others need me, i'll see you later."

"Alright, Kurosaki-kun. Be safe, if you need me just call."

"Alright, I will." With that he left.

Ichigo met up with Rukia and went to meet the other soul reapers who were supposed to help with the Grimmjow problem. He told them everything that he knew and why he thought Grimmjow had returned.

Time passed by, and all that he could think about was Orihime.

_'Orihime, what do you see in that idoit, he is no where near as strong as I am.'_

Grimmjow entered Orihime's appartment to find her asleep on the couch.

_'Maybe strength isn't what she wants, maybe there's something else...but what is it, and how can I atain it?'_


End file.
